La Jolla Playhouse Appoints New Managing Director

The La Jolla Playhouse board of trustees has appointed Debby Buchholz as its new managing director.

Buchholz has served as the general manager since 2002 and will assume her new position starting May 1, according to an April 19 announcement.

“Debby’s extraordinary leadership – both locally in the San Diego community and nationally through her work with LORT (League of Resident Theaters), the largest professional theatre association in the country – are an invaluable asset to the organization,” Christopher Ashley, the playhouse artistic director and Tony Award winner, said in a statement.

Her new role as managing director, in partnership with the artistic director, will consist of directing overall strategic planning, financial management, marketing, development, production management and labor relations for the organization, the company stated.

As general manager of La Jolla Playhouse, Buchholz oversaw business operations, human resources, board governance, and artist and production contract negotiations. Buchholz is also a vice president of LORT and a member of its executive committee.

The San Diego Business Journal awarded her the San Diego Women Who Mean Business Award in 2009. Buchholz is a graduate of UC San Diego and Harvard Law School.